by Shannon Everest, Bangalow, Australia
As a woman (aged 33) I am somewhat astounded by an article printed in the Courier Mail today titled “New age ‘medicine’ of Serge Benhayon leaves trail of broken families”, by Josh Robertson and Liam Walsh. There are many things I could speak about in relation to this article that are simple un-truths. I feel to focus on one point only that particularly represents all women in its expression, not just women who have attended courses or sessions with Universal Medicine practitioners. Under a title of ‘beliefs’ you state: “After breast massage, clients are told to use Universal Medicine cream to deter bad energy, and to not allow their partners to touch them without permission”.
Are you suggesting that a man should be able to do whatever he likes with and to the body of the woman whom he lives with or is married to?
If so, then this is deeply disturbing for all women. Disturbing on the level that we live within a society that is espousing such beliefs and claiming this as ‘normal’. Is your statement not dissimilar to the idea of a daughter being ‘owned’ by her father and therefore he can do whatever he likes with her, as is the case (and belief) behind some instances of incest and child abuse within families?
Is it then ok for a husband to grab and grope at his wife against her will behind closed doors, but not ok for a stranger in the street to do so? Where do we draw the line here?
Does the line not begin and end with the woman and what she deems is a touch she wishes to welcome or not, whether from her husband, father, brother, work colleague or any man for that matter?
If there is but one thing I could impart to my own young daughter as she grows into a woman, it is to honour her body in the way that she feels to, at all times, in any situation. Not: ‘honour your body as you grow and develop, but let that all go once you get married’ – it is quite obvious, the ridiculousness and confusion in this message. We all want this for our daughters, and our sons for that matter. So where are we going wrong, where we are not seeing that these little girls, grown into women, one day marry men and we then expect them to submit to their life and role without having a say in what is to happen to them? All women were once the lovely, sweet little girls who would play around us, whom we would never want for anything to happen to. This innocence and purity does not leave any woman as she grows into a woman, so it makes sense that certain touch will be rejected, just as a little girl would quickly say what was inappropriate given the opportunity.